Shoe-fastener.



Patented Aug. 27, l90l. E. T. WILLHOIT.

SHOE FASTENEB.

(Application filed. Apr. 1, i901.

(.No Model.)

1X Lhwooco .TNE NURHYS PETERS co PHO10-UTHO..WA5HINOTON.

UNTTE STATES iATENT Trice.

ELMER T. l/VILLHOIT, OF WVOODRUFF, MISSOURI.

SHOE-FASTENER.

SIEEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,286, dated August27, 1901.

Application filed April 1, 1901.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER T. /VILLHOIT, a citizen of the United States,residing at YVood rufi, in the county of Platte and State of Missouri,have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Fasteners, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to shoe-clamps, the object being to provide asimple and inexpensive device for securing shoes togetherin pairs.

The invention is specially designed for attaching overshoes togetherwhen not in use, thus preventing one of a pair from becoming separatedfrom its mate, as is likely to occur where a number of pairs of rubbersor overshoes are placed together in a hallway or in the dressing-room ofa public place of entertainment.

The invention consists of a pair of clamps of novel construction,connected by a chain or equivalent connection and adapted to be readilyapplied to or detached from a pair of overshoes.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafterin connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and its'novel features will be defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the securingdevice complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the clampsthereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation ofthe innerside of one member of one ofthe clamps, and Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a modified form ofthe spring which secures the members of the clamps together.

As the two clamps employed are similar in all respects, a description ofone will suffice for both. Each clamp consists of two plates or members,(designated by the reference-numerals 1 and 2, respectively.) The plate1 is recessed on its inner surface to form a convex projection 3, andthe upper portion of the inner surface is beveled, as shown. The plate 1is formed with parallel openings 4 and 5, and the outer face of saidplate is formed with a depression 6 for the purpose hereinafterexplained. The plate 2 is beveled on the inner side of its upper endopposite the beveled portion of the plate 1, but in a direction oppositeto the inclination of the bevel gerial No. 53,952. (No model.)

of said plate 1, thus adapting the upper end of plate 2 to be tiltedtoward the plate 1 to separate the lower ends of the plates, theprojecting shoulders 7 of the plate 1 serving as a fulcrum-point for theplate 2. The plate 2 is formed with an opening 8 near its upper end,which registers with the opening 4 of the plate 1, and said plate 2 isalso formed with an opening 9 opposite the depression 6.

1O designates a connecting device for the two plates, comprising aspring bent to sub stantially rectangular form to form clamp ing-arms 11and 12, a cross-rod 13, and the inwardly-bent ends or hooks 14 and 15.The crossrod 13 extends through the registering openings 4 and 8, theend 14 of the arm 11 extends through the opening 9 and impinges againstthe convex projection 3, and the bent end or hook 15 enters thedepression 6 of the plate 1.

It will be obvious that the spring-arms 11 and 12 serve to firmly clampthe plates to gether, the flanges 16 extending around three sides of theplate 1, resting normally in contact with the flat inner face of theplate 2.

l7 designates a ring passing through the opening 5 in the plate 1, andthe rings of the two clamps are connected by a chain 18 or equivalentconnecting means attached at its ends to said rings, as shown in Fig. 1,to permanently secure the two clamps together.

If preferred, the arm 12 of the spring-clamp may be bent upon itself toform a head adapted to project into a corresponding open ing in theouter side of the plate 1.

The clamps are designed to be attached in any suitable manner, one toeach shoe of a pair, preferably by engaging the heel portion of the shoebetween the plates 1 and 2; but in case the shoes .are provided withbuckles (as is usual with the style of overshoes known as arctics) thebook 14 of the arm 11 will pass through the buckle, and thus the springwill serve as a catch device in addition to its primary function ofholding the clamp members together.

1. Ashoe-clamp com prisingaplate beveled at its upper end and recessedon its inner face to form a projection, a second plate also beveled atits upper end, and a spring bent to form a cross-rod extending throughregistering openings in said plates, clamping-arms and clamping-arms,terminating in hooks,one terminating in hooks one of which engages ofwhich engages one of the plates, while the one of said plates While theother extends other extendsthrough an openingin the other through anopening in the other plate. plate to impinge against said projection. r5

5 2. A shoe-clamp comprisingaplate beveled In testimony whereof I affixmy signature at its upper end and recessedflon its inner in presence oftwo Witnesses. face to form a projection and a ange extend- I W 1 ingaround three sides of the plate, a second ELMER WTILLHOIT plate alsobeveled at its upper end, and a Witnesses:

to spring bent to form a cross-rod extending A. CLARK,

through registering openings in the plates, DICK CRUTOHFIELD.

